January 1, 1908 
PRICKLY SPINACH. 
Bean, I'rench or Kidney.—Should be 
producing large quantities of nice young 
pods in the pink of perfection, and if the 
pods are gathered whilst tender, the beans 
will continue to produce more and more 
for some time. A few plants may be kept 
for seed production, and from them no 
pods should be gathered, but all should 
be allowed toripen. Any old beans which 
have ceased to bear should be removed, 
and the ground cleaned up, manured well, 
and made use of for anything other than 
for plants belonging to the same order of 
plantsas beans Roots, cabbages, lettuces, 
tomatoes, would do very well for rotation. 
In order to keep up a succession of beans, 
a few seeds may be sown during the 
month. 
Broccili—Any seedlings on hand can 
be pricked out, and plants which have 
been pricked out and are well grown can 
be planted. The ground for these plants 
should be weil manured. If the weather 
should be dry, wafer the young plants 
before lifting them, and when they are 
planted water again. Sow a little seed if 
’ more seedlings are required. 
NEAPOLITAN LETTUCE. 
Beet, Silver.—Sow a little seed, and 
transplant from the seed bed if there are 
plants large enough te move. The leayes 
only of this plant are used, and they make 
a yery palatable dish if they are properly 
boiled. 
Cauliflower.—This month is a good one 
to plant out cauliflowers from the seed- 
bed; In the first place prepare some 
gronnd by trenching if possible, or deep 
digging, and thoroughly well manuring, 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
mixing in the manure well. If the soil is 
dug or trenched deep the roots of the 
cauliflowers can descend to a considerable 
depth in search of food, and are not 
likely then to suffer from dry weather. 
Select good strong sturdy plants and set 
them about 3 feet apart-each way- Do 
not break or injure the rocts more than 
can be avoided when raising the plants 
from the seed-bed. Sow a little seed for 
iuture supplies in a seed-bed or box where 
it can he shaded or watered easily. 
Cabhage.—Sow a little seed and shade 
aud water, Put out a few young plants 
in well-manured and well-prepared ground 
Celery.—A little seed may be sown and 
afew plants put out in well-manured or 
rich ground, This vegetable will need to 
be well watered and also treated to occa- 
aional supplies of liquid manure, 
LONG PURPLE EGG PLANT, 
Carrot.—Sow a little seed in drills’ 
teking care to separate the sceds wel 
before they aresown. Thin out any young 
plants that may be coming on, and be 
careful to keep them free from weeds. 
Kohl Rabi, or Turnip-rooted Cabbage. 
—A few seeds may be sown in a seed-bed, 
Seedlings to be planted out later on when 
they are large enough to move. — 
Lettuce.—Instead of planting out from 
the seed-bed it will be hetter at this 
season of the year to sow in rows in a 
richly prepared bed in the garden and 
thin out the plants to about 9 incheg 
SHALLOTS. 
5 
apart when they come up. [If lettuces are 
transplanted just now they are very apt 
to run to seed. 
Maize, Sweet.—It is late to sow seed, . 
unless it is done very early in the month 
and then only in the warmest districts. 
Potatoes.—Prepare a bed for planting 
by deep digging, well draining, and heavily 
manuring. When ready, plant some variety 
of the kidney potato. Use medium-sized 
whole tubers, for they will probably suc- 
ceed better than large ones cut in two or 
more pieces. The rows should bs from. 
2 ft, 6 in. to 3 ft. apart. 3 
Radish.—A supply of this vegetable, if 
young and tender, is always useful. It 
can be sown during evcry month of the. 
year. A very little seed should be sown. 
at a time. If well grown the teuder leaves. 
may be evten as well as the root. Make 
the yround fine and manure well with 
rotten dung. Sow in little rows, thin out, 
und keep free from weeds, 
Red-beet.—Sow a row or two of this. 
useful salod vegetable on some yround 
that had been previously heavily manured 
for cabbage, potato, or some other crop. 
The seed will probably take along time 
tu come up, especially if the ground is 
dry. Lf it be thoroughly soaked in water 
before it is sown and tho drills in which 
it is sown are also well watered it will 
come up much sooner than otherwise. 
Savoy.—Sow a little seed. This is one 
of the best of the cabbage class, which 
will succeed to the greatest perfection in 
rather cool districts, although it may be 
grown in almost any part of the colony. 
_GOLDENBALL TURNIP, 
Tomatoes. — In most gardens there 
should be good supplies of ripe fruit. 
Some means should be adopted to keep 
the branches or vines from lying on the 
ground and thus rotting the fruit, They 
are awkward plants to tie up if allowed 
te attain full growth before the tying up 
is attempted. The work should be done 
as they grow. Bundles of sticks, pruning 
of fruit trees, or dead branches of trees 
can be spread uader the plants, and this 
will answer in a rongh way to serve the 
purpose. 
The month of January is generally 
considered to be an “off” month for 
vegetab'es, and there is often a scarcity 
if the weather proves dry; but, with a 
little care and trouble, if a good supply of 
water is available, quite sufficient may be 
raised for all requirements. 
